NEW YORK – Kelvim Escobar outpitched Mike Mussina and the Toronto Blue Jays sent the banged-up New York Yankees to yet another home loss, 6-2 Friday night.
New York has lost five in a row at Yankee Stadium, its longest skid since the middle of the 2000 season. The Yankees’ ninth defeat in 10 home games dropped them out of the AL East lead for the first time this year. They trail Boston by a half-game.
The game began about a half-hour late because of rain, and the crowd of 34,134 had little to cheer about after Jason Giambi’s RBI double in the first inning. Escobar and the Blue Jays’ bullpen kept the fans quiet on a chilly, damp night.
The Yankees played without two of their top hitters. All-Star center fielder Bernie Williams was placed on the 15-day disabled list because of torn cartilage in his left knee – he’s expected to miss four-to-six weeks – and shortstop Derek Jeter was scratched right before gametime with mild stiffness in his left hamstring.
Tigers 3, White Sox 2
CHICAGO – Mike Maroth won for the first time in 10 decisions this season, pitching seven strong innings in the Detroit Tigers’ 3-2 victory over the Chicago White Sox.
Maroth (1-9) gave up three hits, two walks and struck out three to snap an 11-game losing streak.
He won for the first time since Sept. 16, 2002, against Kansas City.
Rangers 5, Orioles 3
ARLINGTON, Texas – Rafael Palmeiro homered and drove in three runs to lead the Texas Rangers to their season-high seventh straight win, 5-3 over the Baltimore Orioles.
Palmeiro hit a two-run blast in the first and added an RBI single in the fifth that put Texas ahead 4-3.
It was Palmeiro’s first homer since hitting his 500th on May 11, a span of 27 at-bats.
Athletics 4, Royals 1
OAKLAND, Calif. – Mark Mulder fell one out short of his third shutout of the season, pitching an eight-hitter Friday night to lead the Oakland Athletics to a 4-1 victory over the Kansas City Royals.
Mulder held the Royals scoreless until Brent Mayne’s RBI groundout with one out in the ninth inning before finishing his major league-leading fifth complete game.
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